NFL Week 4 opening line report, odds, spreads: Buccaneers 6-point favorites vs. Patriots in Tom Brady's return to New England

Listening to some industry chatter, don't be surprised if this Sunday night's Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots matchup is the most-wagered game of the 2021 NFL regular season and probably the highest-rated on television, too, as it's the much-hyped return of Tom Brady to New England. The Bucs opened as 6-point favorites on the NFL odds.

As if Brady playing back in Foxboro and against Bill Belichick wasn't enough of a story line, TB12 should become the NFL's all-time passing yardage leader in the game. Brady threw for 432 yards in Sunday's 34-24 loss at the Los Angeles Rams and has 80,291 yards career. Drew Brees leads with 80,358, so Brady could break the mark as early as the first quarter.

Of course, Brady spent his first 20 seasons with the Patriots, winning six Super Bowl rings. When asked about Brady on Monday morning and whether he wanted him to re-sign with the Pats, Belichick said this: "I think we've been through all the dynamics of that. There were a lot of things there. He looked at his options and made his decision. We weren't as good an option as Tampa. You'd have to ask him about that, but it wasn't a question about not wanting him, that's for sure."

Let's not forget it's also the return to New England for another future Hall of Famer in Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski. Brady should have receiver Antonio Brown available after he missed the Rams game in COVID protocols.

While the Bucs appear good enough to repeat as Super Bowl champions this February – they are +650 second-favorites at Caesars Sportsbook behind Kansas City (+600) – the Patriots don't even resemble a playoff team under struggling rookie QB Mac Jones. He was picked off three times and averaged just 5.3 yards per attempt in Sunday's 28-13 home loss to New Orleans to drop the Pats to 1-2.

Will the Chiefs have coach Andy Reid available for their trip to Philadelphia? He left Arrowhead Stadium in an ambulance after Sunday's loss to the Chargers. Reid, 63, was treated for dehydration and he is expected to be fine. Reid coached the Eagles from 1999-2012.

The biggest spread on the Week 4 board by far is Buffalo at -17 against the visiting Houston Texans. The Bills have been at least 17-point favorites just once this century: Oct. 20, 2019, when they were right on that number in a 31-21 home win over Miami. Houston hasn't been at least a 17-point dog since Nov. 13, 2005, when it was +17.5 in Philadelphia and lost 31-17.

Might we have another overtime game in Week 4? For the 10th time ever and first time since 2018, a game has gone to overtime in each of the first three weeks of the season.

Four teams enter Week 4 at 0-3 against the spread: Jets, Washington, Jaguars and Chiefs.

NFL Week 4 Opening Odds

• Thursday: Jaguars at Bengals (-7.5, 45)
• Washington at Falcons (-1, 48)
• Lions at Bears (-3.5, 43.5)
• Titans at Jets (+7.5, 45.5)
• Browns at Vikings (+1, 52.5)
• Colts at Dolphins (-1.5, 43.5)
• Panthers at Cowboys (-4, 50)
• Giants at Saints (-8, 43.5)
• Chiefs at Eagles (+6, 54.5)
• Texans at Bills (-17, 48)
• Cardinals at Rams (-6, 53.5)
• Ravens at Broncos (-1, 45)
• Seahawks at 49ers (-3, 51.5)
• Steelers at Packers (-7, 47)
• Sunday night: Bucs at Patriots (+6, 49)
• Monday: Raiders at Chargers (-3, 52.5)

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